My host family knows that I love chocolate and they say that they do too, but I guess they aren't as addicted as I am! They said that chocolate is only for special occasions and that children have it more often than adults. My dad said that children eat it about twice a week (so specific!) and that adults only have it on holidays or other special occasions. They said that chocolate is not commonly consumed in countries where the product is made, but it is more frequently eaten in the countries that process the food. He said that third world countries produce the raw material but the refining countries get the credit and also enjoy it more. I thought that it was interesting that the idea of chocolate would bring up national status and wealth. I know that chocolate is a treat, but I think that I have become desensitized to the fact that it is truly a luxury that "western nation" get to consume and enjoy without considering the back story. I also think that it represents an idea of health and the thought that eating excessive amounts of chocolate is horrible and incredibly unnecessary.
The section on the farmers market was easy to observe and to answer, I didn't really need to ask my family because we have already talked about most of the information. My family buys almost all of their fruits and vegetables at a fair on the weekends. They only buy it once a week and if necessary will go to the grocery store to supplement things that they didn't buy or ran out of. They said that it was more fresh, better quality and more affordable prices to buy there. My family also buys organic fruits if they can and I think that they know specific vendors who they trust. I can only connect this to the farmers market in Raleigh where my family goes almost every Sunday. We buy a lot of fruits and vegetables there, but the supply is so seasonal. I asked my family here if there are fresh fruits and vegetables year round and they said yes and that a majority of the fruits are year round, a few are seasonal. I think that the idea of having fresh local produce year round is the concept that is the most foreign to me. The diet of the country is reflected so much in the prevalence of these foods and I wonder what our diets would be like in the states. I know that here my family is probably among a majority of the families who buy their food like this, but is makes me realize that my parents in the U.S. may be an exception.
My computer is not allowing me to upload photos, so I'll try to add them tomorrow! But the farmers market was bigger than anything that I have seen in the States. The rows of booths with vendors selling all types of fruits and vegetables was overwhelming and it was unbelievable that there were that many vendors. Some of the people selling were aggressive and would repeatedly talk about their prices, but some were quiet and would only talk when you asked them a question. I wonder if that is because they already have steady clients that come and that they don't need to advertise, or if it is only a matter of personality. The vendors who only sold one or two crops were amazing because they rely on the sale of only a few crops but also have a monopoly on the major supply of the items. A few items that I couldn't believe were being sold there were shoes, paintings and underwear. The idea of selling other items at a farmers market is very foreign to me. In the U.S. food items are the only things sold and it would not be accepted to buy personal items there. I wonder if there is that stigma or if it is not as odd. The meat section also was overwhelming and I would be very uncomfortable buying my meat there. In the U.S. or my personal beliefs, we have a very closed minded perspective on meat and our desire to have safe, healthy meat but not know much about it contrasts the meat sold at the market. I am going to ask if my parents (host) would buy meat there or if they wouldn't, because I think that it tells a lot about our culture that I would be very cautious about the meat.
The section on the farmers market was easy to observe and to answer, I didn't really need to ask my family because we have already talked about most of the information. My family buys almost all of their fruits and vegetables at a fair on the weekends. They only buy it once a week and if necessary will go to the grocery store to supplement things that they didn't buy or ran out of. They said that it was more fresh, better quality and more affordable prices to buy there. My family also buys organic fruits if they can and I think that they know specific vendors who they trust. I can only connect this to the farmers market in Raleigh where my family goes almost every Sunday. We buy a lot of fruits and vegetables there, but the supply is so seasonal. I asked my family here if there are fresh fruits and vegetables year round and they said yes and that a majority of the fruits are year round, a few are seasonal. I think that the idea of having fresh local produce year round is the concept that is the most foreign to me. The diet of the country is reflected so much in the prevalence of these foods and I wonder what our diets would be like in the states. I know that here my family is probably among a majority of the families who buy their food like this, but is makes me realize that my parents in the U.S. may be an exception.
My computer is not allowing me to upload photos, so I'll try to add them tomorrow! But the farmers market was bigger than anything that I have seen in the States. The rows of booths with vendors selling all types of fruits and vegetables was overwhelming and it was unbelievable that there were that many vendors. Some of the people selling were aggressive and would repeatedly talk about their prices, but some were quiet and would only talk when you asked them a question. I wonder if that is because they already have steady clients that come and that they don't need to advertise, or if it is only a matter of personality. The vendors who only sold one or two crops were amazing because they rely on the sale of only a few crops but also have a monopoly on the major supply of the items. A few items that I couldn't believe were being sold there were shoes, paintings and underwear. The idea of selling other items at a farmers market is very foreign to me. In the U.S. food items are the only things sold and it would not be accepted to buy personal items there. I wonder if there is that stigma or if it is not as odd. The meat section also was overwhelming and I would be very uncomfortable buying my meat there. In the U.S. or my personal beliefs, we have a very closed minded perspective on meat and our desire to have safe, healthy meat but not know much about it contrasts the meat sold at the market. I am going to ask if my parents (host) would buy meat there or if they wouldn't, because I think that it tells a lot about our culture that I would be very cautious about the meat.
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